Rail anchor



Nov. 4, 1930. H. G. ARE} 1,780,412

RA'I LLLLL OR H- G. WARR RAIL. ANCHOR.

Nov. 4, 1 3 7 Filed Jan, 18, 1929 4 Shee'ts 2 NOV. 4, 1930. w R 1,780,412

RAIL ANCHOR Filed Jan. 18, 1929 4 sheeis-sheet 4 Patented Nov. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD G. WARE, OF PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE P 80 M COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLIIVOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS I I.

RAIL ANCHOR Application filed January 18, 1929. Serial No. 333,502.

My invention relates to rail anchors and has for its object the provision of an improved anchor adapted to be applied to the base portion of the rail by movement of the anchor transversely thereof and which, when.

in its applied position, will exert a direct spring grip diagonally through the base portions of the rail from the longitudinal corner portion of one flange thereof to the reinforcing fillet in the angle between the inclined top marginal surface of the base flange and the adjacent face of the web at the other side of the rail.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved one-piece rail anchor formed from a metal bar bent at one end'tc provide a hook shaped jaw which extends over the marginal inclined upper surface of one base flange of the rail without engaging the same and bears at its extremity upon a reinforcing fillet between said inclined surface and the web of the rail; which fillet serves as a stop surface on which the jaw bears during the application of the anchor to a rail. The invention also includes in this connection locking means for engagement with the edge portion of the other base flange of the rail, which locking means is so disposed with relation to the end of said jaw that it is necessary in forcing the loclring means to its applied position to flex the jaw forming bend in a direction transversely of the rail so as to increase the effective length of the under rail portion of the anchor and thereby effect a strong spring grip on the rail by the direct reflex action of said bend.

A further specific object is to provide an anchor of the above character which, in adnition to providing a spring grip diagonally through the rail base by the direct reflex action of the jaw forming bend above mentioned, exerts spring pressure on the bottom surface of the rail base adjacent opposite edges thereof during the said applying movement of the anchor so as to prevent back springing of the anchor when the ap plying force is relieved.

The invention has as still further objects such other novel features of construct-ion and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the various gripping actions and combinations thereofabove referred to.

The invention is illustrated in certain preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the base portion of a railroad rail showing one embodiment of rail anchor applied thereto in a position to bear against an adjacent cross tie.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the anchor illustrated in Fig. 1 and showing it in its fully applied position.

Fig. 3,,is a view of the anchor shown in Fig. 2, but illustrating the anchor in its first position on the rail, that is to say, the position which it assumes before driving pressure is applied to force it transversely of the rail to its normal gripping position.

Fig. 4 is another view illustrating the anchor in a position intermediate the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The anchor is partially flexed under the influence of the driving force applied.

Fig. 5 is a comparative diagram illustrating the changes in the contour of the inner surface of theanchor for the three positions shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, respectively. v

(Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating my improved anchor applied to a rail in which the surface of the reinforcing fillet is at a somewhat greater angle than the fillet shown in Fig. 2; the dotted position shows the anchor in its position on the rail before it is driven transverselyof the rail.

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a rail base in which the inclination of the reinforcing fillet is somewhat greater than that shown in the preceding views. This view illustrates also an anchor constructed in accordance with my invention applied in its gripping position on the rail base. i

Fig. 8 isa view in elevation, of the modification shown in Fig. 7, illustrating the anchor in its initial position on the rail.

Fig. 9 shows the anchor of Fig.7 in a position on the rail just prior to being driven home.

Fig. is a composite diagram showing the changes in contour of the inner surface of the modified anchor and corresponds to the three positions shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, and

Fig. 11 is another slightly modified anchor applied to a rail base of the crossrsectional contour shown in Fig, 7. r

In Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention in connection with a railroad rail, the base portion of which is formed in accordance with a standard cross-section now in general use in various European countries. Vhile I have illustrated the principles embodied in my inven tion in connection with the type of rail above referred to, it should be understood that this particular type of rail is shown herein merely for the purpose of convenience and that the principle of my invention may be readily embodied in anchor devices suitable for application to rails of different cross-sectional contour.

The type of rail base herein shown is provided with base flanges 10 and 11, each having an inclined marginal upper surface 12, which, when extended, as shown in dotted line 13', intersects with the dotted line projection 14 of the adjacent face of the vertical web 15 of the rail. The surface 12, of the rail base illustrated, inclines at an angle of approximately 14t with relation to the bottom sur face of the rail base. This inclination of the top surface of the base illustrated is substantially the same as the inclination of the top surfaces. of rail base flanges now in general use in the United States. The juncture of the base and web of the rail herein shown is reinforced by suitable fillets 16 arranged in the angle defined by the surface 12 of the base and the adjacent face of the Vertical web. The reinforcing fillet 16 may be of any suitable or preferred configuration in cross section. In the specific construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the surface 17 of the fillet inclines upwardly relative to the bottom surface 18 of the base, at a greater angle than the surface 12 and terminates in a curved surface 17 which merges into the adjacent side face of the vertical web 15 of the rail.

The present invention takes advantage of the condition that the inclined portion 17 of this type of rail base will serve as a stop surface for the end of the jaw and thereby resist the inward movement of said The anchor device is preferably made in one piece from a spring steel bar. One end of the anchor is provided with a hook shaped bend 19 to provide a jaw portion 20, which extends over the upper surface of the base fl ange. The extremity of the jaw 20 is provided with a bearing surface 21 adapted to bear upon the inclined surface 17 of the fillet 16 at one side of the rail. The bend 19 is of such size and the jaw 20 is of such length that a substantial clearance is provided between the inner face of the bend and the adjacent edge of the rail base and to provide also a substantial clearance between the top and bottom surfaces of the base and the hook shaped portion embracing said surfaces. The under rail portion 22 of the anchor is formed at its junction with the bend 19 with a bearing sur' face 23 adapted to bear against the under surface of the rail base both during the application of the device to the rail and when it assumes its fully applied position. Preferably, the bearing 23 is so disposed with relation to the end of the jaw, that the said bearing engages the bottom surface of the rail base at a point nearer the adjacent edge thereof than the bearing 21. The other end of the under rail portion 22 is formed with a bearing surface 24 adapted to bear against the lower marginal portion of the other base flange and is formed also with an upstanding locking shoulder 25 which grips the vertical edge portion of the rail base. The portion of the bar intermediate the bearings is bowed downwardly away from the bottom surface of the rail to provide an extended bearing face for engagement with a vertical face of a cross tic 26. The horizontal distance A between the bearing surface 21 of the jaw and the vertical plane of the inner face of the shoulder 2-5, when the anchor is free of the rail, less than the distance between the points on the rail engaged thereby when the anchor is in its applied position, whereby it is necessary to increase the distance between the said bearing 21 and the shoulder 2-5 before the latter can be engaged over the edge of the rail base. A minute portion of this increase is effected by the vertical spreading of the hoolr 19 when forcing the hook onto the flange of the base. The more substantial increase in the distance A above noted, is effected by distorting the jaw forming bend 19, that is to say, by flex 'ing the bend 19 transversely of the rail and thereby increasing the effective length of the under rail portion 22 of the anchor. This effective increase in the length of the bar 22 will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 5. This view shows the change in the contour of the anchor for three of its positions on the rail. The first position is indicated by the dot and dash lines and shows the contour of the anchor before it is flexed. The second position shown in dotted line-s indicates the contour of the inner face of the anchor when it is partly flexed. By comparing the dot and dash and the dotted line positions of the anchor it will be seen that the length R of the jaw 20 is somewhat shorter than the normal length B of the jaw before the anchor is flexed. It will also be seen that the dimension 15., representing the length of the jaw 20 when it is driven to its fully applied posirelative lengths of the dimensions C, C, C

representing the three positions of the anchor above referred to.

When the anchor is in its applied position, a direct refleX action of the bend 19 exerts a direct spring grip. diagonally through the rail base from the bearing 21 on the fillet 16 to the lower corner of the base at the opposite side of the rail. This spring grip is indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 by the reference character D and is produced by the tendency which the bend 19 has to assume the posi tion from which it was sprung. In addition to the direct spring grip diagonally through the rail, there is an indirect spring grip transversely of the rail produced by the Vertical pressure of the jaw on the inclined stop surface 17 of the fillet and the upward pressure of the bearing 23 on the bottom surface of the rail. WVhile this indirect transverse grip is present in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, it will in some installations be relatively unimportant as acreep resisting grip. This condition will be more apparent after an inspection of the modification in'Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10. The bearing 23, being spaced nearer the adjacent edge of the rail base than the bearing 21, serves as a fulcrumrabout which the anchor is rotated during the inward applying movement of the jaw 20 on the inclined stop surface 17 of the fillet. By forcing the jaw 20 upon the inclined stopsurface 17, there is a slight spreading of the bearings 2l23. This spreading of the jaw exerts a resilient force tending to rock the anchor about the bearing 23 as a fulcrum and consequently forces the shoulder upwardly against the bottom surface of the rail base adjacent the opposite edge of the base. This upward pressure of the shoulder 25 against the base, together with the upward pressure at the bearing 23 is normally sufficient to prevent back slipping of the jaw end 20 of the anchor while it is being applied. As soon as the shoulder 25 clears the edge of the rail baseit will snap up into locking engagement therewith- When the shoulder 25 snaps into its normal gripping engagement with the edge of the rail base, this upward movement of the shoulder tends to partially relieve the vertical spring grip between the surfaces 21 and 23, but the bearing 28 continues to exert upward pressure against the bottom surface of the rail suflicient to prevent the jaw 20 from moving up wardly on the inclined surface 17.

In Fig. 6, I have illustrated my improved anchor applied to a rail, the base portion of which is of a somewhat different contour than the base illustrated in Figs. 1 to 42 inclusive. In Fig. 6, the marginal upper portion 12 of the basezis'inclined at a less angle than the surface 12 of the preceding figure and the inclined surface 17 of the fillet extends at a greater angle relative to the bottom surface of the rail base than the corresponding sur- 7 face 17 of the preceding figures. The anchor is applied to this form of rail base in the same manner as that previously described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. When it is in its applied position it grips the anchor in substantially the same manner as that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5 with the exception that the surface 17 a being at a greater inclination relative to the bottom surface of the base than the corresponding surace 17 of Figs. l to 5, there is less tendency for the jaw 20 of the anchor to move upwardly on the "inclined surface and consequently there is less pressure exerted vertically at the bearing 23 when the anchor has been forced to its fully applied position. The dotted line position of the anchor in the figures shows the position of the anchor before it flexed. jj

In Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 I have shown a further modified form of rail base together with an anchor suitably constructed in accordance with my invention for gripping this type of rail base. In this figure, the surface 12 of the rail base extends at the same angle as the 9. surface 12 of Fig. 6, but the surface 17 extends at a much greater angle relative to the bottom surface of the rail base than the surface 17 of Fig. 6. In this installation the surface 17 provides a stop surface, against which the surface 21 of the jaw 2O bears before the shoulder 25 is forced over the lower corner of the rail base at the opposite side of the rail. The bend 19 of this embodiment is flexed in substantially the same manner as that of the previous forms of the invention, so as to efi'ect sufficient lengthening of the under rail portion to permit the shoulder 25 to snap over the edge of the rail base into its locking position indicated in Fig. 7 so as to insure the diagonal spring grip through the base flange, as indicated by the reference character A In this embodiment the hook end portion of the anchor is made with a somewhat larger bend 19 than is illustrated in the preceding fig ures. The bearing surface 21*, as shown in the composite view, Fig. 10, will move upwardly on the stop surface 17* and will come to rest on the said surface 17 on the line 27 extending perpendicular to the surface 17 and passing through the lower corner of the base flange. It will be apparent from an inspection of the modified construction that the bearing 21 will remain at that point on the surface 17 which is the shortest distance from the corner of the base engaged by the shoulder 25*. In this embodiment this bearing 23 does not exert any appreciable upward pressure against the bottom of the rail, but serves merely as a stop to approximate the final position of this jaw. The grip in this modification is confined to the diagonal grip A through the base. In this figure the bearing surface 23* might obviously remain entirely out of engagement with the bottom surface of the rail base without affecting the grip of the deviceon the rail.

The composite view of this anchor (Fig. 10') shows the changes in the contour of the inner surface of the anchor for the three positions corresponding to Figs. 7, 8 and 9. The dot and dash position represents the initial position of the anchor before it is subjected to applying pressure. The dotted line position represents the position of the anchor when it is under applying pressure and is at the point shownin Fig. 9a point intermediate the initial and applied positions. The full lines represent the contour of the applied position as shown in Fig. 7

The manner in which the hook 19 is spread and the extremity 21 of the jaw moved upwardly will be apparent from a comparison of the three positions illustrated in Fig. 10. It will also be seen that the flex.- ing of the bend transversely of the rail results in a progressive shortening of the jaw 20 as shown by the respective lengths E, E and E of the jaw. This flexing of the bend results also in a progressive increase in the efiective length of the under rail portion 22", as will be seen by comparing the relative lengths F F and F. In Fig. 11 I have shown another modified form of anchor applied to the rail base shown in Figs. 7 to 10. The hook end 19 of the present modification is somewhat smaller than the hook 19". The jaw 20 has a tendency to move upwardly to the same position assumed by the aw :20 in Fig. 7 that is to say, to the point representing the shortest distance between the lower corner of the rail base and the stop surface 17. Such upward movement is restrained by engagement of the surface 28 with the bottom surface of the rail.

The main creep resisting grip of this anchor is represented by the line A extending diagonally through the rail base and'results from the direct reflex of the bend 19 in its tendency to resume the position from which it was flexed transversely of the rail in the manner described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

I claim:

1. A rail anchor comprising a bar forming a relatively rigid under rail portion of the device and bent at one end to provide a resilient hook portion which extends over the upper surface of the base and bears at its extremity against a portion of said base that serves as a stop surface therefor, and formed at the other end of the body with a locking shoulder adapted to engage the edge portion of the other rail base; the distance between the shoulder and the end of the hook, when the anchor is free of the rail, being less than the distance between the points of the rail base engaged thereby when in applied position, whereby it is necessary to flex said hook portion in a direction to increase the distance between the hook and said shoulder to move the shoulder to its operative position on the rail.

2. A rail anchor comprising a bar forming a relatively rigid under rail portion of the device adapted to bear flat against the tie a bent portion at one end providing a resilient book which bears at its extremity a ainst an abrupt inclined surface which serves to limit the inward m vein nt of the hook, and provided at the other end; with a shoulder adapted. to be forced, by movement of the under rail portion transversely of the rail relative to the end of the hook. into engage ment with the edge of the other base flange; the said hook being formed to provide a substantial clearance between the hook portion and the marginal upper surface and longitudinal corner portions of the adjacent flange of the rail, whereby the hook may be flexed to provide said movement of the under rail portion relative to the end of the hook.

3. A rail anchor comprising a bar forming a relatively rigid under rail portion of the device adapted to bear flat against a cross tie a bent portion at one end providing a resilient hook which bears at its extremity against an abrupt inclined stop surface and provided at the other end with a shoulder adapted to be forced, by movement of the under rail portion transversely of the rail relative to the end of the hook, into engagement with the edge of the other base flange; the said hook being formed toprovide a substantial clearance between the hook portion and the marginal upper surface and the longitudinal corner portions of the base flange embraced thereby, whereby the book may be lexed to provide said relative movements and whereby the direct reflex of the said hook portion exerts a grip diagonally tl'irough the base from said inclined surface tov the lower corner portion of the other base flange.

A one-piece rail anchor formed from a spring metal bar which extends across beneath a rail and is formed at one end with a bearing for engaging the bottom of the rail base and with a shoulder for bearing against the vertical edge surface of said base and formed at the other end with a bottom bearing and also a hook shaped bend provid ing a which extends overthe top surface of the base at the other side of the rail and bears at its extremity against a portion of the rail serving as a stop surface therefor; the distance between said shoulder and the extremity of said jaw being normally less than the distance between the points of the rail engaged thereby when the device is in its operative position and the said bends being formed to provide clearance between the bend and the adjacent edge of the rail whereby said bend may be flexed transversely of the rail to increase the distance between said aw and shoulder.

5. A rail anchor comprising a relatively rigid under rail portion formed at one end with a shoulder for engagement with one edge of the rail base and formed at the other end with a resilient hook shaped bend, the extremity of which bears upon the fillet between the top surface of the base and the adjacent side face of the vertical web of the rail when the anchor is driven transversely of the rail to its applied position, a bearing surface on the anchor for engaging the bottom surface of the rail base at a point nearer the edge of the rail than the point engaged by the extremity of said hook, whereby initial inward move ment of the hook end on the base rocks the anchor about said bearing surface as a fulcrum and forces the said shoulder upwardly into frictional engagement with the bottom of the rail to hold the anchor from slipping backwardly during a momentary release of the applying force; and the distance between said jaw and shoulder, when the anchor is free of the rail, being normally less than the distance between the points on the rail engaged thereby, whereby the anchor when in its applied position exerts a spring grip on the rail.

6. A rail anchor comprising a relatively rigid under rail portion formed at one end with a shoulder for engagement with one edge of the rail base and formed at the other end with a resilient hook-shaped bend, the extremity of which bears upon the fillet between the top surface of the base and the adjacent side face of the vertical web of the rail when the anchor is driven transversely of the rail to its applied position, a bearing surface on the anchor for engaging the bottom surface of the rail base at a point nearer the edge of the rail than the point engaged by the extremity of said hook and theopening of said hook being normally less than the'thickness of the base at the points engaged by the end thereof, whereby the movement of the extremity of the hook to its normally applied position on the rail spreads said extremity relative to the under rail portion of the anchor to exert a vertical grip on the rail base and to rock the anchor about said bottom bearing as a fulcrum to force the shoulder into frictional engagement with the bottom sur- 7. In combination with a railroad rail, having a fillet formed in the angle between the upper marginal surface of the base and the vertical web of the rail, the upper surface of which fillet is flat and inclines at an angle relative to said marginal surface, of a rail anchor comprising an under rail portion formed at one end with a jaw which extends over the said marginal surface of the base and bears against said inclined surface of said fillet, and formed at the other end with a locking shoulder adapted to snap into engagement with the edge of the base flange at the other side of the rail.

8. In combination with a railroad rail having a fillet forming an inclined plane in the angle between the upper marginal surface of the base and the vertical web of the rail, of a rail anchor comprising an under rail portion adapted to bear against a vertical face of a cross tie and having a bearing at opposite ends for engaging the bottom surface of the rail base adjacent opposite longitudinal edges thereof, a rail base engaging jaw portion at one end of the said under rail portion for embracing one base flange of the rail and which bears at its extremity upon said fillet, and a locking shoulder at the other end of the under rail portion adapted upon distortion of the anchor to snap into engagement .1 with the lower corner portion of the base flange at the opposite side of the rail to lock the said jaw in its applied position.

HAROLD G. WARR.

face of the rail base adjacent the opposite edge of the base, the distance between the extremity of said hook and said shoulder, when they are in the last named position being such that it is necessary to flex said hook toward the rail to engage the shoulder over the lower corner of the base at the opposite side of the rail. 

